PM Modi, Brazilian President Lula Hold Delegation-Level Talks; Focus on Trade and Strategic Ties

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva held delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Saturday, reviewing and advancing bilateral cooperation across key sectors.

The discussions centred on strengthening collaboration in trade, investment, education, digitalisation, and engagement with the Global South, along with coordination on multilateral platforms. According to India’s Ministry of External Affairs, the leaders reviewed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and exchanged views on regional and global developments, including reformed multilateralism and global governance.

Prime Minister Modi is also scheduled to host a luncheon in honour of the visiting dignitary.

Earlier in the day, President Lula paid homage to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar separately met the Brazilian President and expressed confidence that the engagements would inject renewed momentum into the Strategic Partnership.

Taking to X after the meeting, Jaishankar said he was honoured to call on President Lula during his State Visit and appreciated his guidance in advancing bilateral cooperation.

President Lula arrived in India on February 18 to attend the 2nd AI Impact Summit. He is accompanied by around 14 ministers and a high-level delegation of Brazilian business leaders, who are holding parallel engagements with Indian counterparts.

This marks President Lula’s sixth visit to India. He previously attended the Republic Day celebrations in 2004 as Guest of Honour and visited for the G20 Summit in September 2023. Prime Minister Modi, in turn, undertook a State Visit to Brasília in July 2025 — the first such visit by an Indian Prime Minister to Brazil in 57 years. The two leaders also met during the G20 Summit in Johannesburg in November 2025.

India and Brazil have shared a Strategic Partnership since 2006, grounded in democratic values and expanding cooperation across trade, defence, energy, agriculture, health, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, critical minerals, space, science and technology, and Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), including AI.

Brazil remains India’s largest trading partner in the Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) region. Both nations also converge on key global issues such as UN reforms, climate action, and counter-terrorism.

The ongoing State Visit is expected to chart a forward-looking roadmap for deeper engagement at bilateral, regional, and global levels.

— IANS